I'm a mom, a wife, a nurse and now I'm a runner…catch me if you can!

Weigh in day: Week 5

I weighed in this morning as planned. I wasn’t jumping for joy by any means. I’m sort of indifferent to the scale right now.

Weigh in #5 = 161.4

Last weigh in I was 162. I think I definitely have a handle on maintenance. The whirlwind of holiday parties and December birthdays has begun and I’m just taking it one event at a time. I attended a retirement party for one of the doctors at work last week and I enjoyed a small plate of food and I passed on the cake. Tonight is a coworker’s birthday. Nurses are notorious for bringing in tons of food for any celebration. Thankfully I only work with two people on my unit. Usually we just bring a cupcake for the birthday girl or some other treat they enjoy. On my birthday the girls brought a fruit platter! I thought that was so thoughtful.

I have to say that I have the most supportive coworkers and husband when it comes to trying to lose weight. If I say no to a sweet treat or other food they never try to coerce me into eating it nor do they say things like “come on it’s just one,” or ” you have to live a little.”

Growing up we were always encouraged to eat more. Seconds were normal and portions were huge. To this day my mother will try to make me eat the last piece of something or offer seconds despite knowing how much I have struggled with my weight. I don’t think she’s trying to be malicious. I just think she is set in her ways and to her offering food and nourishment is somehow equated to offering love and caring..

I received an email the other day from Amanda, a graduate student at Clark University. She is doing a study about people who experience a spouse trying to sabotage their efforts to eat healthier. Fortunately for me I don’t fit the criteria to participate in the study because my husband does not exhibit sabotaging behaviors, but she has asked me to pass the information along in hopes of possibly finding others who might be able to take part in the study. The following is from the email Amanda sent to me:

While it’s hard losing weight on your own, it’s not necessarily easier with a spouse or partner. Sometimes partners/spouses undermine weight loss through acts like complaining about healthier food, gifting high-caloric foods, or even through abusive language/acts. I’m creating an anonymous, online survey to assess for partner undermining and to learn more from those who experience it. To be eligible to take the survey, participants need to have experienced this in their current relationship (of at least the past 2 years), and have been participating in a weight loss program for the past 5 consecutive weeks. For more info, you can check out http://tinyurl.com/Clark-Study or Google PUBS-WL.

I’d really appreciate your help spreading the word about my survey as I think this is a very worthwhile and important study that could help health care professionals better understand their patients’ barriers to weight loss.

If anyone reading this might be able to help or might know of somebody who could help Amanda please email her or link to the study. According to the informational page the survey should take no more than 45 minutes and it is completely anonymous. There is also an opportunity to enter a drawing for $100 if you participate in the study.

I know there are so many people out there trying to live a healthier lifestyle but they have a difficult time leaving behind old habits because the people around them are still engaging in the behaviors. I know that only I can lose the weight, but it sure is nice to know that I have support from the people I’m around the most especially my husband.

Stephanie when I got to work Thursday night a nurse from the 3-11 shift had put up a petition on the break room wall asking for everyone to support healthier snacks on the unit. I thought it was a great idea. Of course it did get some people snickering about how people don’t have to eat the junk food. Oh if only it were that easy!

Change is so difficult for many people. It’s interesting too because I am very different with my son when it comes to food. I never force him to finish his food as long as he’s eaten about half. If he says he isn’t hungry then I don’t make him eat. Snacks are typically fruit, popcorn, and yogurt with maybe one “treat” a day depending on his behavior. My son is well nourished, but food is not pushed on him in any way. The older generations are tough though. I just gently remind my mom that I’m working on getting healthier. Sometimes it works!

Hi Aimee! I’d be really happy with maintaining or losing a few ounces right now. I have so much work at my office that I forgot what day it was today and thought it was Thursday. When I’m that distracted, I don’t think straight enough to eat well, and my husband does ply me with all sorts of high calorie foods, but I don’t qualify for the other criteria of the research.

I’m going to a Christmas party of a rich person tomorrow! So the food is terrific, but amongst the wealthier people, I actually have some conscience about eating too much. I wish I had that when I was alone with myself in my office!!!!!

It’s funny Marion, but I don’t eat much at parties either. Sometimes it’s because I’m too busy gabbing and other times I just feel self-conscious as though someone is monitoring my food intake. But at work I’m not shy so often if it’s there I will help myself.